Heinz Reitbauer and Birgit Reitbauer

A taste of Austria is the recipe for success at Heinz and Birgit’s restaurants. 

Award-winning chef Heinz Reitbauer and acclaimed restaurateur Birgit Reitbauer are the husband-and-wife team behind three of the most renowned restaurants in Austria. 

When they first took over the celebrated Steirereck restaurant in Vienna from Heinz’s parents, the gourmet restaurant guides and critics were not impressed, and the couple were devastated. But they pushed forward with their vision to modernize and rebuild the restaurant. They moved it to a more central location in Vienna and embarked on a contemporary menu. It was a massive investment, but looking back, the Reitbauers say it was “the best investment in our life.”

The couple was one of the first in the area to focus solely on using locally sourced ingredients, actively promoting regional products and producers, as well as offering freshwater fish and produce from their own farm. They are dedicated to showcasing the best of authentic Austrian cuisine so that when guests dine at a Steirereck restaurant, they can “taste Austria — its environment, its heritage, its history and its future.”

Today, the Steirereck group encompasses three thriving and critically acclaimed venues. Since 2009, Steirereck has been continually listed as one of the world’s best restaurants, with five Gault Millau toques and two Michelin stars.